On February 26th, 2019, Saddleback Leather is releasing a limited amount of the Drawstring Backpack for $399.00; 50 in the color Tobacco, 50 in the color Chestnut, 50 in the color Dark Coffee Brown and 10 in Black.
Saddleback sent me the Drawstring Backpack to review on my YouTube Channel, ThePerfectLeatherBag, and I couldn’t be more thrilled and grateful!
I have been in love with my Medium Simple of YEARS!! (So proud of myself for sticking to one bag for this amount of time) So, when the Drawstring backpack showed up at my front door, I knew I wanted to compare it to the Medium Simple ASAP. A friend in town, Hey Debra, let me borrow her Bucket Backpack in Walnut for comparison as well. The backpacks in the pictures below are all lined up along the same plane. The differences are very noticeable.
To see my first impressions, what the backpack can hold, and comparison video, watch my YouTube Review: ThePerfectLeatherBag
When the sneak peek photos were leaked, people claimed that Saddleback Leather’s newest backpack is, “If the Medium Simple and the Bucket Backpack had a baby, it would be the Drawstring Backpack!”.
Here are the measurements for comparison:
Bucket Backpack:
16″H x 10.5″W x 8.5″D
Weight: 3.4 pounds
Drawstring Backpack:
14.75″H x 10.75″ W x 6.25″ D
Weight: 3.7 pounds
Medium Simple Backpack:
Exterior: 12” W x 15” H x 7 ½” D
Weight: 4.8 pounds
I brought my new Drawstring backpack to church yesterday to show Lauren (Watch full YouTube video on her Bucket Backpack). The main feedback my friend gave about her 3-year old, daily-used Bucket Backpack in Chestnut, see below picture, was the need for a flap to secure her items from the elements. It was never a deal breaker for her that her backpack didn’t have one, but she noted it was missing and would put her mind at ease when those situations arose. Another comment that quickly came up was the key strap on the inside of the Drawstring backpack would have been a lovely addition to the Bucket Backpack. Maybe she could add that modification herself to her backpack. FYI, that modification would not void the 100-year warranty.
I’d love to see this drawstring backpack used daily for three years. Can you imagine the patina?! Below is a helpful example of this very thing!
Since I’ve only had the bag for 3 days, I can’t speak about durability and function quite yet. It was very comfortable to wear out and about. I appreciated it’s narrow footprint when walking around a fancy antique store. I have almost knocked over items in a cramped store because of my other backpack in Paris, France!
For reference, I am 5’5″.
How much can the Saddleback Leather Drawstring Backpack hold?
In the photo below, I screenshot the part of my YouTube video. You can see a 13″ Surface Book in the pig skinned lined floppy pocket (the only pocket in this backpack), 3 ring binder, standard size hardcover, 32 oz water bottle, (unseen) Long Trifold Wallet from Saddleback Leather, Personal Size Filofax, a colorful pouch that sits on top of everything and some baby wet whips my friends left at my house recently. Once all loaded up, the backpack is obviously heavier, but it is still comfortable to wear.
In the future, I hope to have more information on my thoughts about this backpack. My first impressions have been:
-Amazing top handle to carry the backpack
-A secure bucket that is easy and fast to open and close
-Narrow footprint on my back but still very spacious on the inside
-Beautiful Chestnut that’s smooth and vibrant in variations (Stretchmarks, scars, slight changes in color)
-Generous back pocket that holds my computer perfectly.
-Shoulder pads that move for convenient placement are helpful for a variety of people’s height and weight.
-100-year warranty always gives me confidence when using a bag from Saddleback Leather!
The Perfect Leather Bag 